


The Fifth Sibling

by AllieCrownZJ



Series: Heart of Hallownest (HK story collection) [3]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Can I put in the angst tag now?, Gen, I’ll add more tags and clean these up as I go along aight?, Light Angst, Or at least that’s the goal too, PETITION FOR AN NKG TAG, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, im putting it in, no beta we die like PK, or at least that’s the goal, were still getting there for now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:41:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28650687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllieCrownZJ/pseuds/AllieCrownZJ
Summary: The Little Ghost wasn’t so little anymore. And they had a lot more power now too. Unfortunately... everyone was dead. So of course, they had to change that.They didn’t quite expect to find their dead siblings very much alive, and HER in the same state...but they could work with this.
Relationships: Broken Vessel | Lost Kin & Greenpath Vessel, Broken Vessel | Lost Kin & Greenpath Vessel & The Knight, Broken Vessel | Lost Kin & The Knight, Greenpath Vessel & The Knight (Hollow Knight), Grimm & The Radiance (Hollow Knight), Monomon the Teacher & Quirrel (Hollow Knight), The Knight & Quirrel (Hollow Knight)
Series: Heart of Hallownest (HK story collection) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046446
Comments: 41
Kudos: 120





	1. Siblings

**_VOID_ **

**_Your’s is the power to defy TIME_ **

_ Is it now…? _

_ Hmm _

_ Could we…? _

_ No! _

_ Too dangerous! _

_ She’s already dead! _

_ But so are many others! _

_ We could save them! _

_ We could? _

_ Is it worth it? _

_ How many? _

_ Us? _

_ Dreamers? _

_ Hallownest? _

_ Yes! _

_ Let the Old Light fade even then… _

Ghost awoke with a start.

What…

They remembered. Godhome, the Lord of Shades… their argument with their siblings whether or not they could try again and save everyone sooner…

They knew they had to try.

They dug themself out of the many cracked shells.

Where… no, when we’re they? 

There was no light, so the Abyss was probably already sealed. So… was this after the Hollow Knight was chosen?

They checked what they still had. No mothwing cloak. But they did have the shade. Strange. The Hunter’s Journal was nowhere to be found either.

All of their charms were missing… even the Grimmchild. That was worrying. 

_ If they’d just known they would’ve left it outside of the Pantheon! _

And, of course. Their mantis claw, nail and wings were gone. That was a very big problem. They could steal a nail from… wherever they found their previous one, but they needed the claw or wings to get out.

Last time… how  _ did _ they get out last time? Their memory of the time before returning was rather foggy…

They heard some shuffling. 

_ Was that a shade? _

They hadn’t seen any until now… 

They turned around and trudged through the sea of shells in the direction of the opening. That was the cave where they got their Abyss Shriek. They wanted to try if they could still use their spells, but they had no soul. 

Their shell also felt weaker. Did they have only five masks again? 

Hopefully they wouldn’t run into any Nightmare Kings or Radiances…

They ducked under a Shadow Creeper. Something was moving in the cave… 

We’re those… Vessels? Living vessels?

They slowly got nearer. There were two of them, huddled close together. One was rather small, and the other surprisingly tall, their horns even more so… 

Ghost knew them!

Was that… their Lost Kin and the vessel who’s mothwing cloak they took? 

They didn’t know about the small one, but that was unmistakably Kin. Their horns were rather unique, even in comparison to all the vessels.

**_‘Hello?’_ **

They called out through the Void.

Their siblings jolted up. 

**_‘...’_ **

**_‘I’m sorry for startling you. Can you… talk with me like this?’_ **

The smaller one (they really needed to think of a name for them) looked at Kin, who was… were they staring Ghost down? Their gaze was as empty as the Hollow Knight’s.

**_‘Yes.’_ ** Kin answered.

Ghost would have smiled if they could.

**_‘I’m glad. My name is Ghost. I… I’m trying to get out. Would you want to come with me?’_ **

**_‘What is out there?’_ ** Kin asked.

Ghost pondered for a bit.  **_‘Freedom. A whole kingdom. Light.’_ **

**_‘Safe?’_ ** The smallest vessel asked.

**_‘Not always. I’ll protect you if you come.’_ **

Kin seemed to hesitate.  **_‘Okay. We will come.’_ **

They stepped forward to Ghost.

The little vessel quickly scrambled to their siblings. 

Ghost was glad. At least this time, they wouldn’t be alone.  **_‘Do you have names?’_ **

Their siblings simultaneously shook their heads. 

**_‘Can I give them to you?’_ **

This time, they were answered with two nods.

Ghost though for a second. What would fit them…

They pointed to Kin.  **_‘Lokk…?’_ **

‘Lokk’ nodded. They liked it.

**_‘Massi?’_ **

**_‘Nice. Pretty.’_ **

So with new names, Ghost, Lokk and Massi ventured out into the rest of the Abyss.


	2. Basin and the City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghost *still* has spells.   
> At least something- but it’s not quite enough to protect themself and their siblings...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please I’m sorry if it’s short I’m finishing it at school TvT

Good thing Lokk was so tall. They would always jump first, seeing as they always managed to get further than either Ghost or Massi. Massi would be next- Lokk would pull them up, and Ghost would catch them were something to go wrong.

Now, they were faced with an even trickier challenge. The giant locked door. They knew that there must have been other ways out of there, seeing as many vessels would find themselves in Nosk’s lair in Deepnest in the future, but they didn’t want to take either Lokk or Massi there…

Could they still open the door? 

They didn’t know if their shell still bore the King’s Brand or not, but…

They walked up to the door. They focused on the mark on the other side disappearing, and to their surprise, it did. A crack formed, and soon, the door shattered. They let out a silent cry of victory, which sent ripples through the void. 

They stepped out of the Abyss, with both their siblings in tow. Maybe, this time, they could change things…

Lokk seemed to dislike the Ancient Basin. Ghost did not blame them. Massi seemed put off by Lokk’s jittery attitude, so Ghost concluded it best to get out as soon as possible. 

They had a few options: They could either attempt to sneak by the White Palace and get to the Hidden Station, but at the same time, risk being seen by their sibling, father, mother, sister (if she was already alive), or any member of the Pale Court. Any of those options was as bad as the other. 

Or they could try getting to the City of Tears. That seemed like a better option, even if they would have to put up with this place far longer. They hoped the path to the elevator was still intact. 

They remembered the soul totem, and quickly went to examine it. They tapped it gently, and let the soul flow inside of them. 

**_‘Stand back. Sorry if I scare you.’_ **

Lokk and Massi quickly backed up.

Ghost wanted to try out their Abyss Shriek, but seeing as that was a rather loud spell, they sent a Shade Souk flying at a wall. So they still had spells. That was good. 

They turned to their siblings.  **_‘Let’s go.’_ **

They had Massi peek out of the entrance that led to the Tramway, as their horns were the least noticeable. They declared that nobody was around, and that it was safe.

The trio quickly clambered up, and to the top level.

The bridge extended all the way here, and Ghost was not complaining. Except for the fact that a group of bugs was making their way to the basin.

**_‘Don’t let them focus on you. Let’s get past them as quickly as possible.’_ ** They instructed their siblings.

**_‘If they talk?’_ ** Massi quipped. 

**_‘Ignore them. Get past.’_ **

Lokk answered for Ghost.

So the three vessels nearly ran over one of the bugs. But nobody got hurt, and the three scrambled away before they could be caught. The elevator was still down here, so they ran in. Ghost flicked the lever, and the cage shook as it lifted off the ground.

Massi was staring in awe down, and every few seconds would send out a wave of  **_‘ooo’s’_ ** __ through the Void. Lokk seemed more… distrustful. They would continuasly ask whether or not it was safe, and Ghost would always answer that it had carried many bugs before, and that three small vessels wouldn’t cause it to break. 

They were honestly glad when the elevator stopped. Lokk bolted out, and nearly tripped over their own legs in their hurry. Suffice to say, they won’t be too keen on getting back to the Basin anytime soon. 

They seemed to have made it to the City of Tears unharmed. For now, they should probably get themselves nails. That seemed like a good place to start. 

**_‘Sibling?’_ ** Massi placed a hand in Ghost’s shoulder, walking their up form their thoughts.

**_‘Need nails. Need to defend ourselves. Nail smith on other side of City can give.’_ **

They explained. 

Lokk peeked out, and made a ‘let’s go’ motion. Ghost ran out, and their siblings followed. The city was empty, it must have been rather late. That was good. They were much less likely to be seen this way. 

They jumped over the canals, avoided sentries, and before they knew it, the air was filled with the sickly fog that surrounded the whole fungal wastes. 

They examined each nail carefully, looking for the best for their siblings. They found a large one, not quite a Greatnail but still bigger than the one Ghost used to fight with. They pulled it out of the ground and motioned for Lokk the take it. 

They swung it around, and placed it on their back. They nodded in approval. 

Ghost turned to Massi, but they already had a smaller nail on their back. 

They only needed one for themself. 

This was going to be much easier… maybe. They snuck to the back of the nailsmith’s hut, and snatched one from the same location where they  _ felt _ like they took their old nail. It still felt the same, except this time it was sharper. 

Good.

Now they could defend themselves.

**_‘What next?’_ ** Massi asked.

Ideally, Ghost would go and get the Mantis Claw, but seeing as the mantises would tear them to shreds before they could get one, they decided against that. 

They needed at least the mothwing cloak, but last time, they got it from Massi… who didn’t have it this time, that was for certain. 

**_‘We’ll go visit the Resting Grounds and find the moth tribe. They should have something useful.’_ ** They decided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!  
> Also, question. Are there any characters you wanna see in this?
> 
> just so I can... plan more ahead *wink*


	3. Seer and the Moths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghost takes their siblings to an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, this one took a while ngl. Honestly, I wanted to take it in a different direction at first, but decided against it. Hope you’re satisfied with the results :)

Lokk wasn’t very happy when they found out they were going to have to take another elevator. They only reluctantly got in upon seeing Massi’s excitement. Ghost was satisfied with that. 

They silently made their way through. They saw the way underneath Xero’s grave open. That was good. Fortunately, said grave wasn’t there yet… maybe they still had time before the Radiance got too far. 

But that raised another question: How much of Hallownest  _ did _ she infect already? 

The moth tribe would have probably been some of the first… and… 

They would simply have to spend as little time there as possible. So they climbed as quickly as they could. 

When they were at the level of the Stag Station, they motioned for their siblings to follow them inside.

All three of them sat down on the bench, they all needed a break.

Massi was happily sharing their first impressions of the world. They seemed to like it out here, and Ghost was glad for that. They weren’t sure if they wanted to show them Greenpath, but decided that that was a thought for later. 

Lokk didn’t fully share Massi’s excitement, but they didn’t look disappointed either. Ghost wondered why that was. Maybe they just haven’t found anything that Lokk particularly liked. 

They resumed their climb up. At the top, they found nothing but Seer’s tent- it was in better condition than they knew, but it was worrisome that it was still the only one present.

They heard a whooshing noise, and footsteps.

They didn’t really have time to panic. 

‘Oh! Hello there. My apologies, I wasn’t expecting visitors today.’ 

All three of the children simultaneously whipped their heads around to the bug who was speaking.

Just their luck, it was one of the bugs they hoped they would see.

Seer walked closer up to the trio. 

‘What are you doing here? This dusty area is the last place I’d expect children to see, especially with the illness having stained it.’

Lokk looked at Ghost,  **_‘Danger?’_ **

**_‘No.’_ ** Ghost answered.  **_‘She is nice. She can… help.’_ **

**** Massi peeked out from behind them. Ghost didn’t realize they were hiding. 

‘Not the talkative sort, I presume? Have you wondered here on accident and have any family waiting for you?’ The moth asked. Her voice was much less raspy than when they spoke last. 

Ghost quickly shook their head. They did have family other than their siblings, but they knew that no-one was waiting for them.

‘I… see.’ She yawned. ‘I am sorry, it has been a rather long day. Would you like to rest here for tonight? There is enough space for all of you, and it is arguably one of the safest places from the plague.’

The three exchanged looks. Lokk shrugged and nodded. ‘Alright, follow me in. Give me a little bit to prepare resting places for all of you.’ Seer said. 

The inside was larger, but still cozy. Seer started taking out cushions and blankets, and started arranging them into a cozy nest. 

‘Would you be so kind as to hang those Dreamcatchers? They repel bad dreams, and allow better sleep.’ She requested, motioning at an open chest full of little trinkets decorated in the shape of Essence. They pulled two of them out. 

‘There is no need for too many- as there is four of us, seven would be plenty,’ Seer explained, and Ghost handed the two to Massi. They examined them closely as Lokk walked up to grab three from the basket. They started hanging them in higher places, as Massi placed their two own where they could reach. 

Ghost picked up some of their own and got to work. 

‘Would you like some tea before you drift off?’ 

At that question, Ghost quickly nodded. The moth chuckled, and Lokk gave them a questioning look. 

**_‘Tea. It’s a drink, and very tasty.’_ ** They explained. 

So Lokk and Massi nodded as well, one with more excitement than the other. 

In a short while, all four of them were sitting down, sipping their tea, with Seer telling old stories of the moth tribe. It took… some level of confusion, but they eventually managed to convey that they didn’t know much of the tribe, and Seer gladly shared her stories.

She was explaining how her people would dwell in dreams, to which Ghost paid more attention than before. 

‘There are legends of Gods of Dreams from the past- though their identity has been long since forgotten. According to the legend, one of them has a statue at Hallownest Crown, where the rest of my tribe currently resides. I stay here, taking care of the spirits.’ Ghost perked up at the mention of  _ Her _ statue. 

‘I see it has sparked your interest. Would you like me to tell you more about the Dream Gods?’ She asked. Ghost excitedly bobbed their head. 

‘Well, I may know more than the rest of my tribe. In the past, long before our King arrived in these lands, another God lived in the Dream realm- a place between body and soul, hidden away from the common bug, which it is to this day. We see glimpses of this realm in our sleep, and some say they see Her light too. She had created the moths to remember her, and keep her alive.

According to some legends, there was another God, but not much is known about him. He ruled over Nightmares, and fasted on the fear of bugs who wondered into his realm, while his sister would comfort them with her pleasant Dreams.’

This puzzled Ghost. They suspected that the Nightmare King and Radiance were connected in some way, but they would never have thought they were siblings. 

Seer continued ‘He disappeared one day, and from then onward, nobody remembers who he really was, the only reminder of his existence being the scarlet essence he left behind. His sister supposedly disappeared too, when our King claimed. The moths found a new, brighter light, to which they flocked to, and forgot about the goddess they worshipped for so many years.’

This was interesting. They promised themself to find out more about it. They looked at their siblings. Massi seemed to be hanging on Seer’s every word, and Lokk showed interest too. 

‘Oh, have you finished your tea already? I appreciate you liked my stories, but you seem like the adventurous types, and if you plan on venturing out tomorrow, I recommend you go and rest now.’ 

The three handed their cups to her, and huddled together in the makeshift nest. This situation may not have been all bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you click off- can you please write a comment..? Maybe...? It’s what drives me to write these faster, and I’d love to interact with more people and answer any questions you may have ^^


	4. Dreams and Journeys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghost Dreams for a little bit, and the siblings set out on another adventure

Sleep came quickly for Ghost.

They didn’t know too well what it was like without using their Dream Nail to enter the mind of another.

It was quite pleasant, up until the point when they found themself in the Dream Realm as the Lord of Shades. 

Seer’s dreamcatchers didn’t seem to work for higher beings. So they decided to explore. One thing they knew was that they could separate their small Shade from their rather large body. The Voidheart kept beating in the body where their mind was, so the void wouldn’t lose its focus.

The Dream they found themself in was… familiar. There wasn’t much space to go to. Only a few platforms. A… structure? They weren’t sure what it was… protruded from the clouds nearby. It looked like the horns of their sibling. 

Then they remembered. This was the same Dream where the Dreamers were hidden. The same Dream where the Radiance was.

The same Dream recreated in Godhome.

  
  


_ She was near. _

They started paying more attention to their surroundings. They couldn’t sense a higher being close, but they felt Her presence in there.

To their own surprise, they sensed something more familiar too. They focused, and, even if overshadowed by Her Light, they felt the essence of another God… but despite its familiarity, they couldn’t quite pinpoint who it was...

They were rather disappointed at first, but quickly shook those feelings off when faced with Massi hovering over them. 

They promptly knocked their sibling into the pillows. 

  
  


‘Ah, you’re awake. My apologies, but I must be taking my leave. There is… something I need to do, and I’m afraid I’m not allowed to share any information on it. I suspect you three will venture out, too.’ Ghost focused their vision onto the moth, and nodded, even if with some hesitance.

‘It gets cold by this time of year, I have prepared some warmer cloaks for you. Despite having met you only yesterday, I feel the odd sense of comfort around you. Please, do not hesitate to come by if you ever want. I do hope we get to meet again.’ And with that (and a small smile) Seer left the trio alone. 

Ghost found the cloaks, and each of the three took one. It seemed as if this truly was the same cloak they wore… 

**_‘So where do we go next?’_ **

Massi asked. 

Ghost pondered for a bit. 

They decided to try and find someone they knew. Someone who, hopefully, would not tell on them. 

**_‘We should go look for the Teacher’s Archives.’_ **

**_‘Where’s that?’_ ** Lokk questioned.

**_‘Fog Canyon. We just need to find a way to get there…’_ **

**_‘Do you know any ways?’_ **

Ghost nodded.  **_‘We can either use the Stag Stations- it would be the fastest way. Or… we could swim through the Blue Lake and go through the Crossroads and Fungal Wastes.’_ **

**_‘... which one would be more fun?’_ ** Massi asked, and Ghost could have sworn they felt Lokk sigh.

**_‘Swimming of course! And the Fungal Wastes are nice, too… if we stay away from the Mantises at least.’_ ** They explained.

**_‘Well then let’s go!’_ **

  
  


They would be fine, Vessel’s didn’t get cold anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna go on a rant about how how the Dream Realm and Void work so badly... but I won’t, since that could potentially spoil some shenanigans that are coming.
> 
> Sorry if it’s shorter than usually, but we’re going to visit some familiar bugs soon ;)


	5. Lakes and Wastes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siblings make their way through the Crossroads. Yes that’s it it’s short.

Unsurprisingly, the Blue Lake didn’t look too different. It was still rather… empty, but still pretty and calm.

And there were no traces of the discarded nail here. 

Ghost practically jumped into the water. They sunk under, and quickly rose back up. 

**_‘It’s safe!’_ **

Massi took that as a cue to jump in after them. 

Ghost couldn’t blame their sibling. 

They helped them up, even if they most likely wouldn’t drown- but they themself never tried that, and it was easier swimming with their head above water. 

They turned to look back at Lokk, but they were already next to them. 

**_‘Let’s go then.’_ **

  
  


To an outsider, the sight may have been amusing. Three small bugs swimming across a rather large body of water, that Ghost still wasn’t sure whether or not it was partially lifeblood, splashing each other occasionally and diving under the water in curiosity. 

To be fair, it was very bright, and a little bit foggy under there, so they didn’t find anything interesting. 

When they clambered out of the, Massi plopped down on the sand and sat there. 

**_‘Are you okay?’_ **

Lokk asked.

**_‘Yeah, but my arms ache… that was longer than I thought, but still quite fun!’_ **

Massi chirped.

**_‘I’m glad. But… we should go on. There are nicer places to rest than here, and we’re getting closer to the Archives…’_ **

Ghost trailed off. 

**_‘Then let’s go!’_ **

Massi immediately jumped back to their feet. 

**_‘Alright! We’re going to have to get up on this wall… if you see that opening there, that’s where we need to go.’_ **

Ghost pointed up.

Lokk got read and stood underneath it, and motioned for Ghost to come over. They climbed on the taller bug’s shoulders, and pulled themself up on the ledge. They caught a glimpse of the village. There were still bugs there.

They reached out and pulled Massi up, who scooted behind them, so they could pull Lokk up too.

Then they promptly jumped down to the other side.

**_‘It’s safe!’_ **

They waved at their siblings, who followed their example and jumped down to them.

**_‘There are other bugs here.’_ ** Lokk noted.

**_‘They shouldn’t do anything, but I still want to get through here fast.’_ **

Ghost explained. 

**_‘... alright, let’s go! Lead the way, sibling!’_ **

Massi exclaimed. 

So that’s what they did. There were only a few bugs outside, and none of them paid any attention to the three vessel-children wandering about. They got through without any incidents, and Ghost intended to keep it that way. 

**_‘Okay; let’s go. If we see any bugs, we keep our heads low and get past them quickly.’_ **

Ghost instructed, and their siblings nodded in understanding.

The children shuffled through the Crossroads, and to their delight, only encountered five other bugs. 

They  _ finally _ got to the Wastes. Ghost dropped down with their siblings in tow.

Now, all they needed was to hope that no mantises show up, and that they don’t burn themselves on the acid.

They’ll be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my defense, thsi is the first of two transition chapters before we meet You-Probably-Know-Who.
> 
> It’s short, but I got a burst of motivation to post so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯   
> Plus I wasn’t sure how I’d continue it in one chapter anyway


	6. Old friends and New truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They had found an old friend again. And... it’s time to confess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fog canyon is visually one of the most beautiful areas in the game and I’m tired of pretending that it isn’t

To their credit, they didn’t get hurt for their whole stay in the Fungal Wastes. 

The trio had a lot of fun with the bouncing mushrooms. Ghost never realized that the first time. They were too busy searching for their sibling.  _ The same thing they were doing now. _

They didn’t get attacked by any of the mushrooms… not like they met any on their way in the first place. 

Then they arrived at the Queen’s Station. 

They weren’t sure why they were surprised to find many bugs there. Of course, it was the  _ Queen’s _ Station for a reason. 

They most likely either ventured out to her Gardens or the Archives.

That wasn’t very good. 

This was going to be much more problematic than they thought.

**_‘Sibling? How are we going to get through here?’_ ** Lokk asked. 

**_‘The bugs seem to be going the same way as us… that’s not good…’_ ** Ghost thought out loud. Or, as ‘out loud’ as they could. 

**_‘Could we sneak in between them?’_ ** Massi piped up. 

**_‘...’_ **

**_‘...that’s not a bad idea.’_ ** Ghost admitted.

**_‘Maybe when there’s a big group, we could go and blend in with them?’_ ** Massi continued with their plan.

**_‘It’s probably going to work. I mean, unless there are any bugs from the Palace here, they shouldn’t recognize us anyway… let’s do it.’_ **

**_‘I see a rather large group going up from down there.’_ ** Lokk announced.

**_‘When they get near, we’re going to tag along okay?’_ **

Ghost’s siblings nodded.

  
  


A few moments later, all three darted out of their hiding spot, and to the back of the group. They seemed to have picked a group of scholars, who would (hopefully) lead them to the Archives.

About half of them carried nails, and the other half held tablets with notes scribbled all over them. Ghost could make out the words ‘Light’, ‘Dream’, and ‘King’. 

They could guess what they were about. 

Fog Canyon was… prettier than they remembered. It was probably due to the absence of Uoma and Ooma, but it made a rather large difference. 

They remembered the Grimmchild didn’t like those things. They used to get blown up quite a lot when traveling here. 

They didn’t have the heart to blame the child, they were just trying to protect them.

Still, they would take their charm off when traversing this area.

Their thoughts were interrupted by Massi’s silent squeal.

**_‘That place looks so pretty!’_ **

Lokk was looking at the Archives in awe.

They would have smiled if they could.  **_‘It is. Come on, let’s go inside.’_ **

Upon entering the Archives, the scholars filtered out through the many hallways found about. 

Ghost wanted to look around, last time they felt asan intruder and didn’t want to disturb the area (and the Uoma and Ooms made them too nervous anyway), but now…

They hoped they will have time after they find who they were looking for. 

Walking through the Archives was less intense than last time, but still interesting. The writing on most of the tablets still didn’t make much sense (what language did Monomon use for them, anyway?) but at least some of them were written in the language they could read and write. Massi was quite interested in those. 

They pampered Ghost with questions, some of which they had no idea how to answer. They could tell them about Deepnest and the Hive, but asking about what  _ exactly  _ a Higher Being was? That was too complicated even for them.

Then they saw it.  _ Him. _

_ He was still alive here. _

They wanted to chase after him. But… he looked so  _ different.  _ He  _ was _ different. He didn’t have Monomon’s mask, for one.

And he had no idea who Ghost even was.

For some reason, the thought itself hurt more than getting set on fire by the Nightmare King. More than being sliced by the Radiance’s nails. More than getting stabbed by their sibling in Godhome. 

They saw Quirrel walking in their direction. 

They panicked, and pulled their siblings into a nearby room, filled to the brim with acid-filled containers. They shut the door and backed up against it. 

They didn’t realize they were shaking until Lokk grabbed their shoulders (rather harshly), and forced their head up.

**_‘Sibling. Look at me. You’re not okay. What’s wrong?’_ **

They tried to defend themself.  **_‘Nothing… I’ll be fine.’_ **

**_‘...we just want to help…’_ ** Massi whispered, with a drop of sorrow in their voice.

**_‘Sibling. You’re hurt. Tell us what happened. Please._ **

**_This isn’t the first time you’re outside of the Abyss, is it?’_ **

Lokk inquired. They knew already.

Ghost knew they would have to come clean eventually, but they would’ve preferred for that to be… later. They didn’t want to think about everything anymore, but they relented.

**_‘No… alright… I… okay. I’ll explain everything. You… you deserve to know…’_ **

**_‘Sibling… we’re here for you, okay? No matter what happens, we aren’t leaving you. That’s what family is for.’_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Watch me want to make an emotional scene but not knowing how so putting it off as much as possible.


End file.
